[The New York Sun, December 25, 1883, Editorial page]
To the Editor of the Sun --
Sir: Now that we are having phenomenally rosy skies morning and evening, which provoke our savants to much theorizing, by which we get such ideas as cosmic dust, cometary matter, celestial collisions, and so on, it may interest your readers to hear what an ancient Aryan philosopher says on this subject, and also regarding sun spots.
Varaha Mihira's Brihatsamphita says, Chap. 111, Sloka 9, 10: "When spots appear on the disk of the sun the waters will get disturbed; the sky will be filled with dust, birds and animals will howl, there will be appearance of false fire all around, and lightning and earthquakes will afflict mankind."
Regarding solar color, he says, Chap. 111, Sloka 29, "That if the color be blue, mankind will suffer from worms and reptiles; if ashy pale, the reigning sovereign will be dethroned and another succeed him."
In Chap. 97, Sloka 1: "In the case of solar symptoms the effects described will begin to be felt within a fortnight after the appearance of the symptoms."
My friend, Sundaresvara Srouthy, a Hindu astronomer in Trivadi, says he observed that the terrible Java earthquakes occurred just a fortnight after the appearance, Sept. 9, of a large spot on the sun.
This shows that the Aryans knew somewhat of the effect of solar disturbances upon our earth's atmosphere and consequently upon the men on it.
How long will Western science pooh-pooh the wells of wisdom existing in Aryan literature?
William Q. Judge
New York
December 22.